


Mr. Grinch and the Sniper Rifle

by geminiangel



Series: 2019 NCIS Happy Holidays Advent Calendar [2]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, Talk of suicidal tendencies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:21:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21648946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geminiangel/pseuds/geminiangel
Summary: Follow-up to last year's Three Wise Men.  Not necessary to read it first but Laura Ann recommends it.  Following a traumatic event the alphabet agencies have been decimated, Tony needs to pick up the pieces.
Series: 2019 NCIS Happy Holidays Advent Calendar [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559821
Comments: 22
Kudos: 109





	Mr. Grinch and the Sniper Rifle

Tony glanced at the young marine standing in the corner of the stair landing. The marine silently pointed straight up.

“Of course, he is.” Tony grumbled as he tore up the stairs. “Stupid elevators. Always out of order when you need them.” Tony slammed the roof door open and sighed in relief. He took a minute and straightened his suit and tie and strolled nonchalantly over to the wheelchair. “Beautiful view.” 

“I figured I had a least five minutes more of peace.” 

Tony leaned back against the railing and crossed his long legs at the ankle. “Used to be my haven. Spent a lot of time up here last fall, until I realized Gibbs could get here in four minutes flat. Used to watch me from that maintenance door,” Tony nodded his head towards a door across the roof. “Ducky told me he kept a spare sniper rifle in case I got stupid.”

The other man glanced at him quickly intrigued beside himself. “Sniper rifle.”

“Told me he could put a round through my hand before I could pull the trigger or my leg before I made the railing. Second “B” for bastard.”

“Ever think about it?”

“Hell, yes.” Tony admitted. “The haunted look in Abby’s eyes begging me to fix it or worse the look of betrayal that we were able to move on without McProbie. Balboa’s team following me around looking for guidance. Everyone looking at Gibbs and I like we had the answers.”

“At least you came out of it whole.” Palmer muttered.

“Did I? Yeah, you lost a leg, pretty sure I’ve got a McGee sized hole in my brain.” Tony sighed. “None of us came out of the bombing whole, Palmer. Some of us just have more visible injuries. It’s going to take a lot of time and support. We’re some of the luckier ones.”

“Lucky?” Palmer said in disbelief.

“Still got your career. Still got Breena. If you get your head out…”

“How’d you know?”

“That you were on the verge of blowing it big time? You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Tony still wasn’t sure he believed. “You ever blame me?”

“What?”

“If I hadn't landed on you, might not have lost your leg.”

“Would have lost my life probably like.” Palmer looked out over the city. “He was just a kid.”

“The marine?”

“I tried so hard but I couldn’t do anything for him… He was gone when they finally cut me off him. Bled out.”

“Actually, you did a lot. Putting his wife on cellphone…”

“How did you know? I never told anyone.”

“Bad luck his buddies took him to that bar to wait for his baby to be born…”

Tony felt himself pulled back to the hospital that God awful day. “Dad……”

“Silver haired guy?” A marine standing at the foot of his bed asked. “Went for coffee.”

“Guard?”

“No, sir. I needed to stop by and thank you. Well, you and your friend Palmer.”

“Do I know you?”

“We spent a few hours together this afternoon.”

Tony’s eyes widened. “Palmer’s patient.” The marine nodded solemnly. “You… I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t be. I knew what I signed up for… My wife and I both… That’s why I was at the bar. My wife was in labor. They took me there to wet the baby’s head while we waited. Palmer managed to get Darla on the phone. It’s a boy. She was on the phone when the secondary explosions occurred. Last thing I heard was my son crying and my wife telling me she loved me. Can’t expect anything better than that… Tell Palmer thank-you for me. Tell him what he did for me. He’s going to have a rough road ahead.”

“He’s okay?”

“Had to cut him out. He’s in surgery, lost a leg.”

“Damn.”

“You won’t forget to tell him…”

Tony turned to look out over the city, “But I did. I got so wrapped up I forgot.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I’ve been trying to hold what’s left of the agency together, I forgot to put family first.”

“Tony…”

“Do you know Abby yelled at that agent that transferred down from New York for bringing in sugar cookies his wife made?”

“McGee’s favorite...”

“Mr. Grinch yelled at the probie for putting a small potted evergreen tree on her desk. Mr. Fun Miser.” Tony raised his voice slightly. 

“Ouch… Is Gibbs?”

“I am on the roof. I have been here more than four minutes.” Tony raised his voice. “Mr. Grinch and his sniper rifle are cuddling in the maintenance staircase.” Both men snickered when they heard the squeak of the maintenance door until a small round pinged into the railing between them. Tony winced. “At least it wasn’t the back of my head.”

“Anyway, it’s time that I focus on family first. I expect you and Breena at my house Friday.” In the wake of adopting Jethro, Tony had been forced to move out of his apartment. He had settled down in a small house in a development not far from Gibbs. “Mr. Grinch, Ms. Sugar Cookie Hater, Emily, Ducky and all, will be getting in the spirit or else… This is not what Balboa, McGee and Fornell would have wanted so… we will honor their memory and we will celebrate the Christmas holiday.” The maintenance door creaked shut.

“Guess you hadn’t told Gibbs yet?”

“Oh, no. Mr. Grinch was told first. He says he’s not coming.”

“If he’s not…” Palmer started.

“Oh, he will be there.” Tony stated firmly.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Two words. Grandpa Gibbs.”

Palmer snorted. “He’ll be there.”

“And you…”

“Fine.”

“Ready to get back to work, now?”

“Yeah.” Tony held out his hand expectantly. 

The two men engaged in a stare-off. Finally, Palmer sighed and reached behind him. Pulling out a sig he handed it to Tony. “How’d you know?”

Tony looked across the roof as a young marine saluted and then disappeared. “Might say an old friend of ours paid me a visit.”


End file.
